I recommend wearing what is comfortable to you. When you are comfortable, you look more natural in your pictures. Having a color scheme is always a good idea too. For example, in family pictures having parents in solid colors that match the pattern in a child’s outfit is a good look. In engagement pictures, I’ve also seen con trast look really great, such as girl in black with guy in white. Just make sure you feel good! Check out my pinterest page for ideas on color schemes!!

https://www.pinterest.com/kim_creative/ideas-for-what-to-wear

Also, we all know that black tends to be slimming. At the same time, shirts with sleeves tend to be more flattering for those of us who are not body builders, and short shorts may not be a good choice if we are going to do any sitting poses. But, if you feel good in an outfit you will look good and you should wear it!!

What are some good places to take photos around St. Charles

*St. Charles Main Street*Frontier Park*City Centre Park in St. Peters (next to the Rec-Plex)*Klondike Park in Defiance*Faust Park*Your House with my backdropsI am always open to suggestions for other great spots!!

What is your favorite thing to photograph?

In all honesty, it changes day by day and with what I’m photographing that day! But, my top three overall I would have to say are weddings, babies and pregnancy.

Here’s a little about why I love each thing that I photograph:

Babies*tiny babies make me smile*it is really awesome to witness babies growing bigger throughout their first year*babies smiling at me each time I walk in the door, and not smiling once the camera is on them!*that first birthday excitement as a child dives into a cake for one of the first (and messiest) times!

Weddings*seeing the bride getting ready and the range of emotions – from excitement to some anxiety, “let’s get this over with” to pure happiness when she sees her true love waiting at the end of the aisle*I am a hopeless romantic, so I love seeing all aspects of a love story!*being a witness to the first time a bride and groom see each other*getting to know and being able to joke with a wedding party*seeing the nerves and then the groom’s face light up as he sees his bride walking down the aisle*seeing and feeling the love between the bride and groom

Pregnancy*I feel like pregnancy is the start to all the other types of photography I do, and that is pretty amazing!*I definitely believe that a pregnant woman is a beautiful woman. Even when she doesn’t feel like she is her most beautiful, I enjoy making her feel beautiful and capturing that beauty.*There is always so much joy when a woman is expecting a child

Kids*seeing the free spirit of children is always inspiring to me!*I’m always amazed by the great moments and expressions I catch even when it seemed like a child didn’t smile the whole session*when kids know me as their photographer and have a hard time taking school pictures because it isn't Miss Kim taking the pictures!

Engagements*young couples in love and being silly together*the excitement of the upcoming wedding is contagious!

Families*witnessing the joy of a small newly formed family with their new baby*experiencing the dynamic of a family with generations brought together

Seniors*There is so much excitement and possibility with high school seniors, it is a contagious!*They are like little models and it is so fun to photograph a subject that follows directions!!

Would you ever want to be a photographer full time?

This is probably the most difficult question I get asked. I would love to do photography all the time because I love it, but I also love being an occupational therapist. Also, I don’t ever want to get burnt out because I HAVE to take pictures. So short answer to this question: NO, I don’t want to be a full-time photographer. I love being an OT by day, photographer by night/weekend!

Why should I pick you to be my photographer?

Well, I think I’m pretty great! Just kidding. :) But seriously, a big part of my answer to that question is because I’m nice. I believe it is extremely important to get along with you photographer. It doesn’t really matter how technically proficient a photographer is, if he or she is mean or bossy you will be uncomfortable and will look that way in your pictures. I feel this is especially important on your wedding day. My biggest piece of advice to potential brides is to make sure you really like your photographer because he or she will be with you all day. So if you are considering a company with multiple photographers, make sure you meet the person who will be at your wedding and that you see that photographer’s portfolio to make sure you like his or her style as much as the advertising photos. I never take offense to people not choosing me, just please make sure that you like your photographer!

Also, I feel that I have a creative eye and a strong will to improve my skills and make my images more original. I’m always experimenting and reading and learning more to make myself a better photographer. There is always something I can do to advance my skills, and I seek out the tools to do it.

Can guests at my wedding take pictures?

I don’t have a problem with other people taking pictures while I am. The only thing I request is that while I am taking formal pictures, guests don't distract those in the photos and they turn off the flash on their camera. When their flash goes off at the same time as mine it can make a big mess of the lighting and ruin both of our pictures. I do always remind my clients also that I do give a flash drive of my images so that guests don’t have to feel the need to take their own pictures. Unplugged ceremonies are a new trend, and I do think it is a great way to ensure that you look your best in the images that are posted to social media!!

Where should I get my pictures printed?

There are a lot of really great labs where you can get pictures printed. The lab that I use through my proof gallery is Mpix, an online division of Miller’s Professional Imaging. The images are color corrected by professionals, and they will fix any problems for free if you are not satisfied with your order. I love this company because sometimes an image looks great on our computers, but looks different in print. They always make sure it looks great in print. Getting your prints through the online gallery is the only way I can guarantee without a doubt that you will get great prints. I recommend Creve Coeur Camera if you’d like to take your DVD somewhere.